Hazelwood Motorcycle Accident Lawyer

Hazelwood Motorcycle Accident Attorney

Accidents involving motorcycles and larger vehicles are often catastrophic for the motorcyclist, resulting in road rash, traumatic brain injuries, multiple fractures, and other serious injuries. If a driver was the cause of your accident while on a motorcycle, you deserve to recover the cost of your injuries from their insurance carrier. A Hazelwood motorcycle accident lawyer can help you do this, maximizing your compensation after a traumatic collision.

Personal Injury Attorneys Representing Injured Motorcyclists in Hazelwood

The attorneys with The Cagle Law Firm have decades of experience in personal injury cases, including motor vehicle accidents involving motorcycles. We understand the stress and pain you are likely to deal with. Our team wants to provide you with exceptional legal representation. We can review your situation, investigating the cause of the crash and what party was at fault.

Injuries from a motorcycle accident can result in costly medical bills, time you have to take off work, physical therapy, and other long-term medical care and costs. Serious injuries from motorcycle crashes are often permanent in nature. Permanent injuries far exceed the actual costs of medical bills and lost wages. While recovering financial compensation does not heal these permanent injuries, compensation can significantly help adapt your life to deal with these changes. The Cagle Law Firm can help you recover the most compensation possible for your injuries.

Proving Fault in a Motorcycle Accident

To prove fault in your motorcycle accident, numerous forms of evidence may be necessary including the police report, witness and expert testimony, or photos and videos of the accident site. Evidence to support the extent of your damages may include medical documentation, and testimony from medical experts.

An attorney can review your unique case to uncover the available evidence that can support which party is at fault and what your injuries were. The elements of proving liability for your injury include:

• The driver owed you a duty of reasonable care.
• The driver breached their duty of care because they were negligent.
• The breach of care led directly to the accident.
• The accident caused your injuries and resulted in financial losses.

Whether the fault is seemingly obvious or not, it is useful to work with an attorney to ensure the smoothest possible case. While many think there is such as thing as “clear cut” fault, the opposing party will typically argue fault.

What Makes Motorcycle Accidents Different From Other Vehicle Collisions?

Motorcyclists are at a much higher risk than other motorists on the road. Any motor vehicle collision could potentially result in catastrophic injury or death, and this danger is much more common for motorcyclists.

Motorcycle riders could suffer the entire force of the crash as a result and are often thrown from the bike, resulting in an additional impact. This can result in more severe injuries.

More severe injuries mean that significant compensation is needed to financially recover a motorcyclist’s losses. Unfortunately, it is often difficult to get an insurance carrier to provide full and fair compensation. Insurance companies often even say that motorcyclists should not hold negligent drivers accountable because the motorcyclist knew the risks of riding.

An insurance carrier may also try to undermine your case by stating that your lack of personal protective gear or other protection means you are partially to blame for the severity of your injuries. Your attorney can advocate for you against this defense. If you fail to wear a helmet in a state with mandatory helmet laws, it can be a significant part of the defense by the insurance carrier. In Missouri, which does not have a universal mandatory motorcycle helmet law, insurance carriers will still make the argument that you were less safe and less careful because you failed to wear a helmet.

Motorcycle accidents are also different because motorcyclists have a lower visibility than other vehicles. Drivers of larger vehicles may fail to notice them, especially while merging or changing lanes. This can result in a dangerous sideswipe and other accidents because of low visibility.

All drivers have a responsibility to keep a careful look out for all others on the roadway, and your attorney will have to fight on your behalf to attempt to overcome these arguments of visibility excuses. Your attorney will also have to fight to overcome the false assumptions that motorcyclists are less safe and engage in risky behaviors. Motorcyclists know all too well the incorrect assumptions made by insurance carriers and sometimes the general public. A motorcycle accident attorney in Hazelwood can help secure available evidence and support your injury claim to obtain the compensation you deserve

FAQs About Hazelwood, MO Motorcycle Accident Laws

What Should You Do After a Motorcycle Accident?

The first thing you should do after a crash is call the police for emergency medical aid and to secure the scene. If you are able to talk with the officer, just give the facts of the collision. We greatly discourage any injured person from discussing your injuries with any insurance adjuster in the immediate days following your crash.

If you are seriously hurt, you may not be in a position to give statements to the police. If you are able to speak, you should always tell the truth when giving a police report but stick to the facts rather than what you think or feel happened.

How Can You Recover Compensation After a Motorcycle Accident?

You could recover compensation after a motorcycle accident by pursuing an injury case against the other party’s insurance with an attorney’s help. If a driver was to blame for the accident, you can hold their insurer liable for your injuries, including medical costs and psychological injuries. Your attorney can determine what fair compensation would be and negotiate for that compensation. If the insurer refuses to provide fair compensation, then your attorney may advise taking the case to court.

How Much Compensation Is Available for Most Motorcycle Accidents?

It is entirely dependent on the specific case. There is not a mathematical equation or formula that applies to motorcycle accidents in general and “averages” are not reliable. Knowing what other motorcycle accident compensation values are does not help you understand the value of your own case. Your case’s value depends on:

• How serious your injuries are.
• How long your injuries are expected to affect your life.
• The insurance coverage policy of the at-fault driver.
• Whether you work with an attorney and their abilities.
• If you are partially at fault or not.
• Whether the case is settled or goes to court.

Why Do I Need a Motorcycle Accident Attorney?

A motorcycle accident attorney improves your chances of a successful injury case and increases the likelihood of securing the maximum financial recovery for your injuries. An attorney can determine the cause of the motorcycle accident and the at-fault party and hold their insurer liable.

An attorney can calculate the cost of your injuries and gather available evidence to support your case. Because your attorney can handle all these complex aspects of a case, you can focus on your physical recovery from the accident.

Contact The Cagle Law Firm After a Motorcycle Accident

If you or someone you love was injured or killed in a motorcycle accident, The Cagle Law Firm can help you determine the ideal method for financial recovery. Although there is no way to fix these incredibly painful and difficult situations, pursuing compensation can at least hold the at-fault party’s insurer accountable and help you maintain the necessary financial stability. Contact The Cagle Law Firm today.